On Sunday’s episode of Philosophy in Action Radio, Greg Perkins and I answered questions on hedonism, taking drugs, judging mixed people, romance with an irrational person, Santa Claus and kids, when to speak out, and more. The podcast of that episode is now available for streaming or downloading.

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Introduction

Question: What’s wrong with hedonism? What’s the difference between “rational selfishness” and hedonism? What’s wrong with attempting to maximize pleasure over the course of a whole life?

My Answer, In Brief: Hedonism is purely subjective: it says that a person ought to pursue whatever he finds pleasurable. Rational egoism is objective: it says that a person ought to pursue what actually promotes his life as a rational human being.

Question: How do you judge people of mixed premises? Many people are of “mixed” premises. How does one develop close and personal friendships or pursue long-term, serious, romantic relationships when many people are not consistently rational or moral? How does one judge such people objectively as to their worthiness for friendship or as a potential romantic interest?

My Answer, In Brief: When judging mixed people, seek a clear understanding of what’s black and white in them, then determine whether and what kind of relationship with them will serve your values – if any.

Question: Is it moral to introduce the idea of Santa Claus to children – and why or why not? Some Objectivists say that introducing Santa or staying silent on the issue to let the child figure it out for himself constitutes deception and lying. Others say it’s a playful and fun game with Santa as a hero standing for justice in a way kiddies can understand.

My Answer, In Brief: The pleasure and value of Santa Claus lies in the meaning and richness of the stories about him, not in the delusion that he’s real.

Conclusion

About Philosophy in Action Radio

Philosophy in Action Radio focuses on the application of rational principles to the challenges of real life. It broadcasts live on most Sunday mornings and many Thursday evenings over the internet. For information on upcoming shows, visit the Episodes on Tap. For podcasts of past shows, visit the Show Archives.

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